Happy New Year to our valued Visit Sarasota County partners. As we begin the year ahead, one of our top priorities is to gather as much partner feedback as possible—and to make it easier than ever for you to share it with us. Historically, we offered a single annual partner survey; moving forward, that survey will be available year-round and accessible directly through this partner e-newsletter and in our staff email signature lines. In addition, partners who travel with our team will receive a post-trip survey so we can capture feedback on the overall experience, including the quality of our booth and collateral, the effectiveness of appointments, the value of leads generated, and other key elements of each show. We also continue to encourage partners to reach out to me directly at any time with ideas, questions, or suggestions. I place tremendous value on our public-private partnership and take great pride in being responsible stewards of the portion of Tourist Development Tax entrusted to us. Because of the alignment and trust we have built with hundreds of area businesses, we are able to leverage private-sector investment to extend the impact of public dollars. With ongoing partner feedback, we can ensure we are supporting our industry where it is needed most—and in the way it is needed most.

In service,

Erin Duggan, CDME - President & CEO

Here are the numbers comparing November 2025 to November 2024:

Our 2026 Visitor Guides have hit stands across our region and are now getting in the hands of potential visitors across the country. Grab your copy today from our Downtown or Venice Visitor Centers to check out your business listing and perhaps discover something new about your community. After all, who says only the tourists get all the fun?

Evasive Escape Rooms – Attractions and Tours Partner, Serving Sarasota Area – Evasive Escape Rooms delivers private, immersive escape adventures in Sarasota—perfect for friends, families, and team events. Outsmart the room and escape together!

Sara Dance Center LLC – Arts and Culture Partner, Serving Sarasota Area – Located on Cattlemen Rd near Bee Ridge Rd, Sara Dance Center is conveniently located close to I75. Dances, classes, and private lessons for beginners up to advanced.

Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition – Things to Do Partner, Serving Sarasota –Visit the historic Leonard Reid House, a 100-year-old landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places featuring exhibits by African American artists.

Friendly reminder that your referrals matter! Recommend a local business to our partner program and share this information with partnership@visitsarasota.org, and for every successful referral that completes the onboarding process (including payment), you’ll receive rewards – including a comped partnership after 3 referrals!

Say hello to new! We’ve launched a new Events webpage where all of our event links will always be, we highly recommend bookmarking it.

This coming April, the Senior PGA Championship will return to Florida’s West Coast at The Concession Golf Club – and Visit Sarasota County is collaborating with the Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau to make it a regional boon for tourism. Join both tourism bureaus at The Concession for a special Partner Coffee – to learn more about this collaborative effort and connect with our broader industry, across county lines.

The Concession Golf Club

770 Lindrick Ln., Bradenton, FL 34202

Thursday, January 22nd  8am-9am

Want to help staff the Senior PGA event? PGA of America just opened applications now through February 10, 2026. Individuals living in or near host communities can register here to potentially interview for positions before, during, and after each championship from April through July 2026. Opportunities include part-time and full-time temporary roles across a wide range of event operations, including bartending, hospitality support, general labor, construction and transportation assistance.

We know there’s a lot to keep up with as a partner — so each month, we’re giving your benefits a quick spotlight. This month’s highlight: Sharing your photos with VSC.

Do you have captivating assets that you'd love to share with us for our promotional campaigns or media inquiries? We actively welcome your contributions, so we can promote you in two different ways:

Link your Instagram account! When you connect your Instagram Business Account via CrowdRiff, the visual marketing platform we use to manage our photo library, you automatically give VSC the rights to use your posts and reels in our marketing efforts. After you link your account, we’ll be able to view your posts, stories, @mentioned and tagged content. If we plan to share your content, we’ll credit the creator when we share it.

Questions? Reach out anytime at partnerships@visitsarasota.org — we’re here to help you make the most of your perks!

The new year kicks off with momentum across the region as January brings a diverse and dynamic lineup of sporting events, highlighting everything from youth hockey and soccer to swimming, gymnastics, and equestrian competition.

Mid-month, the MLK on the Beach youth hockey tournament returns to the Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex, welcoming AA, A, and B teams across U10-U18 divisions. With guaranteed four-game schedules, Player of the Game honors, MVP awards, and championship trophies, the tournament continues to be a popular MLK Weekend tradition for teams and families traveling to the region.

January also marks the return of one of Florida’s largest youth soccer series with the Dimitri Cup, now in its 23rd year. Dimitri Cup I (Jan. 17-19), Dimitri Cup II (Jan. 24-25), and Dimitri Cup III (Jan. 31-Feb. 1) will take over the Premier Sports Campus, welcoming more than 900 teams combined across U8-U19 divisions. With tens of thousands of athletes, families, and spectators expected over three weekends, the Dimitri Cup remains a cornerstone of the winter soccer calendar and a major driver of regional visitation.

The Sarasota Sharks continue to make waves at the Selby Aquatic Center with the annual Hot Chocolate Meet (Jan. 23-25). This three-day swim meet brings together more than 500 athletes and 500 spectators from across the region, creating a high-energy, family-friendly atmosphere. A New Year staple for the Sharks, the event reflects the program’s strong culture and its role as a leader in high-level swim competition.

Gymnastics also takes center stage during the final weekend of January with two premier events. The Sam Mikulak Invitational, one of Florida’s largest men’s gymnastics competitions, returns for its third year at the Sailor Circus Arena, featuring more than 600 athletes and 2,000 spectators. Alongside it, the inaugural Chasing Gold Invitational debuts at EVO Gymnastics, welcoming over 400 female gymnasts. Home to an elite men’s program and national team athletes, EVO Gymnastics continues to elevate Sarasota’s presence in competitive gymnastics while inspiring the next generation.

Rounding out the month, Fox Lea Farm proudly launches the 2026 Venice Equestrian Tour (VET), running January 13 through March 15. Now in its 11th consecutive year, this nine-week USEF-recognized hunter/jumper series includes the popular Show Jumping Under the Stars Friday night grand prix events, along with community-focused initiatives and charitable partnerships. As one of Southwest Florida’s premier equestrian venues, Fox Lea Farm continues to deliver world-class competition and memorable spectator experiences throughout the winter season.

January sets the tone for a strong year ahead, showcasing the depth, variety, and impact of sports across the region.

What makes your business unique? 

We are the ONLY trolley tour company in Sarasota and Venice offering 18 unique award-winning narrated daytime tours and nighttime original musical shows on the trolley. On our daytime tours our 90-min airconditioned tours on Sarasota and Venice history, circus, arts, architecture, metaphysical, Amish and other communities, neighborhoods and things to do. At night, we offer musical interactive entertainment on our Murder Mystery Trolley, Sing-Along Trolley, Sunset Cabaret or our holiday tours for Halloween (Haunted Sarasota) and Christmas (Christmas Carol Trolley) that are fun for the whole family.

What would visitors find interesting/intriguing about your business?

Visitors and locals find that they learn something new on our tours about Sarasota or Venice that they never knew before. Most of our guests live here at least part of the year and love bringing their visitors on our many different tours. They tell us that we provide a community service for the area because we offer context, history, background and interesting information that no one else does and we take care of all the driving so they don't have to. They also tell us that they have never had so much FUN learning on a tour or
singing along Main Street on our nighttime shows. They also love celebrating special occasions with us for a birthday or anniversary onboard Dolly The Trolley.

Do you offer specials and/or any special events?

We offer a basic $3 off coupon RC for any of our 18 different tours.

We also host our annual FREE customer appreciation Trolley Bash event for 200 people every November.

We also provide special POP Up Experience tours that include a local business and feature lunch. These NEW experiences include High Tea With Mable Ringling on Feb 7 celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Ringling Bridge in partnership with Cafe on St. Armands, Behind-The-Scenes at the Sarasota Opera House on Jan 14 and May 13 n honor of their 100th anniversary partnering with Clasico Italian Chophouse and Sip & Stroll, a vineyard visit tour to Fiorelli Vineyards on Feb 8.

We also partner with many art galleries for our annual Art Crawl Trolley tour, with 99 Bottles Craft Beer and Wine Bar for our Sing Along and Sunset Cabaret tour stops, and with Elysian Fields and Wild Ginger Apothecary for our Psychic Sundays tours. We love partnering with local businesses to create memorable and fun tour experiences.

How long have you been in operation?

We are entering our 8th season.

What are you currently working on/developing that you want to share and/or partner with other local businesses on?

We would love to talk with interesting Sarasota and Venice businesses who would like to partner with us on a tour. We are especially interested in growing our Behind-The-Scenes arts tours, dining tours and shopping experience tours in both Sarasota and Venice.

If you could describe what you do in one sentence, what would it be?

We create entertaining and informative trolley tour experiences that celebrate Sarasota County's history, culture, arts and business community.

What do you value most about your VSC partnership?

Networking opportunities, a focus on the hospitality industry, partnerships with other partners, and support from staff are what we value most about our VSC partnership.

Learn more about Discover Sarasota Tours here!

Interacted with 3,988 visitors and residents at the Visitors Centers.

Mailed and distributed 989 Visitor Guides and mailed 29 Relocation Packets.

Created 45 info bags for various groups.